ESA Funds Norse Navigation Anti-Jamming Maritime Sensors
A 17-month European Space Agency contract will develop sensors that keep ships positioned when satellite navigation signals are jammed or spoofed.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Space
The European Space Agency has signed a contract with Norse Navigation of Trondheim, Norway, to develop sensors that maintain positioning during GNSS jamming and spoofing. The project is designed for merchant vessels compliant with SOLAS.
Why it matters
Jamming and spoofing of satellite navigation signals occur daily in parts of the world, creating risks for commercial shipping. Demand for resilient positioning, navigation and timing solutions is growing across the maritime sector.
The project runs 17 months and targets Technology Readiness Level 8 through maritime certification testing, a stage that precedes full operational deployment. The source does not disclose the contract value or the timeline for certified products reaching commercial vessels.
The players
European Space Agency (ESA)
The European Space Agency is an intergovernmental body that funds European space research and navigation programmes, including the Galileo satellite system.
Norse Navigation
Norse Navigation is a Trondheim-based company developing navigation technology for the maritime sector.
The details
The sensors will integrate multi-constellation GNSS capabilities, Galileo OSNMA authentication, and jamming and spoofing detection, with controlled degraded-mode operation. The products will be compatible with radar, AIS and ECDIS systems and build on Galileo and EGNOS capabilities.
Timeline
The 17-month development project runs from the contract signing, with the reference date of November 9, 2026.
Big Picture
The contract is funded through ESA's Navigation Innovation and Support Programme (NAVISP), extending that programme's push to harden satellite positioning against interference. It follows a Norwegian Space Agency call for resilient positioning, navigation and timing solutions.
For mariners, resilient positioning means a ship's navigation can keep working when GNSS signals are jammed or spoofed. The sensors are aimed at merchant vessels, so commercial crews and operators are the group most directly affected once certified products reach the market.
The takeaway
Satellite navigation is only as reliable as its defenses against interference, and projects like this one aim to give ships a fallback when signals fail. Watch for certification milestones as a sign of when these sensors could reach real vessels.
Further reading
For more on the satellite systems underpinning this work, see our Space coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Everythingrf.
